The academy holds mini-Olympics for people with disabilities

Vushtrri, 8 July, 2017 - At the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety (KAPS), today started the Mini Olympiad for disabled persons, organized by the Paralympic Committee of Kosovo and the Organization of Parents and Children with Disabilities supported by the Academy, OSCE, KFOR and Carabinieri.

Mini Olympics is a sporting, recreational and accompanying event of young people of Kosovo with disabilities who are competing in various sports games; Handball, basketball, soccer, pulling of rope, wrist wrestling, shooting, table tennis, darts, and other sports disciplines. Participants remain for two days at the Academy, where they are accompanied, by their family members and volunteers of the Academy, OSCE, KFOR, Carabinieri and others. For the first time, the Mini Olympiad was organized in 2003, and since 2005 the host of this activity is the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety. The mini-Olympics during these years has been organized by the Paralympic Committee of Kosovo and the Parent and Children's Disability Association, supported by OSCE, KFOR, Kosovo Government, Kosovo Police, Carabinieri, Embassies of different countries missions in Kosovo and Kosovo Academy for Public Safety. This year Mini Olympiad is mainly supported by the budget of Kosovo Academy for Public Safety.

The mini-Olympics were attended by General Director of the Academy Ismail Smakiqi, OSCE Ambassador Jan Braathu, KFOR Commander General Major Giovanni Fungo, Ambassador of France in Kosovo Didier Chabert, Ambassador of Austria in Kosovo Gernot Pfandler, Ambassador of Italy Piero Cristoforo Sardi, Paralympic Committee Chairperson Njomza Emini, Representatives of OPFAKKOS, Director of OSCE Department for Order and Public Safety Ake Roghe, OSCE Advisor at the Academy Shpresa Muharremi, Director of Mandatory Police Training Driton Zabërgja, UNHCR Leaders, UNICEF and other representatives from local and international institutions.

The opening speech at the opening ceremony of the Mini Olympiad held Ms. Njomza Emini, head of the Paralympic Committee, which have highly appreciated holding of competitions for people with special needs. She said that from year to year the  progress is being marked in international recognition of the Paralympic Committee, with the hope that next year we can be accepted into the International Paralympic Committee so the youth contestants with disabilities from Kosovo can participate in international sports competitions.

Emini thanked all the institutions; The OSCE, the Academy, KFOR, the carabinieri and other agencies who were present in support for the holding and participation in the mini-Olympiad. "The mini-Olympics of people with disabilities that is being held at the Academy is already a traditional activity" - said Ms. Emini and all of us will continue this tradition in the years to come.

General Director of Kosovo Academy for Public Safety Ismail Smakiqi, welcomed the participants to the Academy and also emphasized that mini-Olympics for people with disabilities is a very important event, thus gaining the status of a traditional activity.

"Mini-Olympics is the most important activity that the Academy of Communities develops. This mini-olympiad is thirteen in a row and has now acquired the status of traditional activity. Every summer you come to the Academy to develop sports competitions and here we get to know each other, relax, socialize, compete, entertain, sing. Academy has the most beautiful days in the days of mini-Olympics, "said Smakiqi
   
Director Smakiqi thanked all the institutions that support the holding of this activity.
"Thanked for the support of the OSCE and the KFOR, Ambassador Jan Braathu and Major General Giovanni Fungo, for their continuous support, your dedication and commitment to the citizens of Kosovo who need our care and support; Thanks to the Ambassador of France, Austria and Italy for your support, thank you to UNICEF and UNHCR, who are today at the Academy in support of the participants in this mini-Olympiad, "said Director Smakiqi.

The OSCE Ambassador to Kosovo, Jan Braath, said that mini-Olympics are a very important event where many people can participate and show their skills in different games.

"This event offers all participants the opportunity to display their skills in different sports disciplines and we encourage you to once again support the spirit of the team and challenge yourself in making these games more fun," said Ambassador Braath, mentioing that this year participated also the young competitors from Gracanica and from the northern part of Mitrovica.

"I am very pleased to be with you today in mini-Olympics 2017 which we in the OSCE consider exceptional events and excellent opportunities to bring so many people to engage in sports activities and to get acquainted with the work of Law enforcement officers , "said Braath.

On this occasion, Ambassador Braath thanked the Kosovo Paralympic Committee and the Kosovo Organization for Parents and Children with Disabilities (OPPFAKKOS) for organizing this event. Also, Braath thanked the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety for its continued readiness to support miniolympics.

During this activity, OSCE donated to the Paralympic Committee of Kosovo and OPFAKKOS wheelchairs, ten for children with special needs of the age of ten and twelve and five for adults.

"The OSCE will continue to provide its support to Kosovo's institutions," said Braath

Otherwise, the mini-Olympics will take two consecutive days where will be developed these sport activities: handball, basketball, darts, soccer, chess, table tennis, trolleys, etc..
In this mini Olympiad are participating persons with special needs from all over Kosovo.